EnemyMine
by Miss Selah
Summary: Five times they didn't say I love you. Valentine's snippets for five years lost between them. JS


* * *

Enemy-Mine

* * *

i.

The first year came right after her brief foray in to the Labyrinth, and for no reason at all, she sometimes thought that he was coming for her. That he would rescue her from her dull and horribly _normal _human life.

Sarah was, as she was so very often, _wrong. _

She liked to think that theirs had been a rather odd comedy, a story of a girl who hated a man who secretly was in love with her. That in the end, despite all of the ups and downs, they would still find some way to manage that elusive happily ever after.

Jareth watched from her window, a shadow of a figure in the tree right outside, and remained absolutely still as she cried violently in to her pillow, the sounds of her wracked sobs drowning out the echoes of the baby's cry from the next room over.

He waited until she was too exhausted to cry anymore before he left her, not staring on moment longer than was absolutely necessary at her red and swollen face and she fell asleep.

There story was, as so many are, a tragedy.

* * *

ii.

The second year she almost didn't think about him. But when her boyfriend called her to cancel their date, to cancel their _relationship, _she couldn't help herself.

She was indulging in more than just a romantic soundtrack, chocolate frosting, and a warm, luxurious bubble bath. She was indulging herself in thoughts of _him. _

It had been just over a year, and while she still talked to all her friends, they understood that it was difficult to stay in touch all year round, and settled for a monthly visit. Anything they could have, they told her. Anything was certainly better than what she had been left with…

_Nothing at all._

She tried not to think too hard about it, and Jareth, whom she had summoned with her seemingly worthless thoughts, tried _very _hard to not think about what she looked like underneath all of those bubbles as he toyed with her image in a crystal.

Even if he couldn't have her, she would still be tormented with thoughts of him. He told himself it was enough.

He was lying.

* * *

iii.

Year three had passed without much of a thought, and she graduated from High school with a bright and shining future in… nothing. She hadn't been motivated enough to _really _focus in school, so she didn't graduate with honors, and she hadn't applied herself enough towards college, so all of the scholarship deadlines had flown right past her.

She would say that it wasn't very fair, but she knew it had been nothing but her own fault, like so much else was.

A David Bowie song came on the radio in her car and she gave a quick glance in her rear view mirror, summoning up their faces.

"_I need you." _

But it wasn't _them _she was calling, and he was just as stubborn as she was.

As he ignored her, Jareth told himself it was for the best.

* * *

iv.

The fourth year she was working in a movie store, and had all but forgotten about her trip through the Labyrinth. She remembered Hoggle, and Ludo, and Didymus, but only in a distant, romanticized way. She didn't remember that there had once been a book, that she had once been a spoiled little brat, and she didn't remember the way that he _loathed _her.

_It would make a great book… _she thought. And she knew just how it would start.

_Once upon a time…_

Jareth, watching, tried not to feel too affronted that she could barely remember his face.

* * *

v.

It was the fifth year since that first, the fifth valentines that they had spent alone. He remembered everything, in striking detail. He remembered her sneer, her jibes, her hate. Mostly, though, he just remembered her tears as he waited for her to summon him with her thoughts.

The problem was that she didn't remember nearly as well as he did.

She had written the book, _Labyrinth, _and it sold remarkably well. A little red leather bound book, it told their story, his and hers, and he couldn't help but pick up a copy himself.

_What no one knew was that the king had fallen in love with the girl… _

Jareth frowned, and knew what he had to do.

_

* * *

vi. Six Years prior… _

Sarah was sitting alone in her room, waiting for her father and Karen to get back from the hospital. They were going to be bringing home a new baby, her baby brother, and to be honest, she couldn't wait. She was rather looking forward to being an older sister.

Suddenly there was a clammer from down stairs, and she shot up like a bolt, racing for the door. _They were home already? _She thought as she darted down the stairs, two at a time. _It must have been an easy labor! _

When she got to the entry way, she stopped. No one was home, and an empty house was staring right back at her. She shivered, unconsciously recognizing that she was _not _alone.

She took a few tentative steps towards the living room, nearly tripping on a strangely wrapped package.

"I wonder what it is…" She murmured out loud as she bent over to pick it up. She always had been too curious for her own good. She opened the thick brown parchment and stared in wonder at the little red book that contained no author's name, no barcode, and certainly no owner. All it had were bright golden letters shining at her.

_Labyrinth. _

She cooed as she turned the first page and sat down with a thump in the living room coach, and began to read.

_Once upon a time… _

And as Jareth watched over her, knowing that he should have never messed with the time-stream, that too many things could have been destroyed, he still thought it was worth it. Worth her.

He would get it right this time.

Even if it took _another five years…._

* * *

Happy Valentine's Day!


End file.
